Police Officer Killed During "No knock" Warrant

[Aesop]

Right, but requesting the warrant doesn't necessarily make him the responsible supervisor/organizer of the actual raid; I'm betting that genius wasn't liable to be the first guy through the door. As it is, Donut Boy's size may have made him a hero despite the circumstances, as his girth probably shielded other officers in the stack from outgoing rounds. The article also notes this case was developed by an unnamed investigator as well, so both he and the SWAT team supervisor/OIC have some 'splainin' to do, not least of which to any next of kin.
Pity about them not getting it on the scene in this case, but nothing a speedy and public trial and a fine hanging for them wouldn't even out.

One would hope the willingness to do no-knock raids for petty offenses would become rarer both for that agency and in that county as a result, and that said investigator gets told to pound sand the next time he tries to whistle up a SWAT team.
Kicking in doors with no notice for suspicion of gardening is monumental assclownerry, first class.
Getting your guys killed in the process is unforgivable.

[Cybrludite]

Sorry that the cop died.

Surprised that he was the first one.

Not the first one.

[Greg]

The article also notes this case was developed by an unnamed investigator as well, so both he and the SWAT team supervisor/OIC have some 'splainin' to do, not least of which to any next of kin.
Pity about them not getting it on the scene in this case, but nothing a speedy and public trial and a fine hanging for them wouldn't even out.

One would hope the willingness to do no-knock raids for petty offenses would become rarer both for that agency and in that county as a result, and that said investigator gets told to pound sand the next time he tries to whistle up a SWAT team.
Kicking in doors with no notice for suspicion of gardening is monumental assclownerry, first class.
Getting your guys killed in the process is unforgivable.

Completely agreed.

Heads need to roll for this kind of shit, and I'm at the point where I'm no longer sure I'm being figurative.

[Weetabix]

{snip}
Kicking in doors with no notice for suspicion of gardening is monumental assclownerry, first class.
Getting your guys killed in the process is unforgivable.

Completely agreed.

Heads need to roll for this kind of shit, and I'm at the point where I'm no longer sure I'm being figurative.

I agree as well. And heads have rolled. Mr. Sowder's at least. Just maybe not the right ones.

[Jered]

Yet again, if making the arrest was the point, they could have GPS'ed his car, and taken him down with a handful of Chick-Fil-A, then served the warrant at noon on an empty trailer, and everyone goes home alive.

But that takes police work.



Of course, you have to get a warrant to GPS his car.

[Greg]

Yet again, if making the arrest was the point, they could have GPS'ed his car, and taken him down with a handful of Chick-Fil-A, then served the warrant at noon on an empty trailer, and everyone goes home alive.

But that takes police work.

Yes, and rollin' with your posse and goin' dynamic on some ignorant cracka, well that's just fun and games.

Playtime for Tactical Barbies. The fact that doing one's job professionally and properly is seen as punitive drudgery, and risking the lives of everyone involved in ham handed violations of heaven knows how many laws, and how many people's rights... is FUN, a personally and professionally rewarding thrill - is in fact a problem.

Of course, you have to get a warrant to GPS his car.

The horror!

[Langenator]

Yet again, if making the arrest was the point, they could have GPS'ed his car, and taken him down with a handful of Chick-Fil-A, then served the warrant at noon on an empty trailer, and everyone goes home alive.

But that takes police work.



Of course, you have to get a warrant to GPS his car.

If they've got enough to get a warrant for his arrest, getting one for GPS would be easy. If the objective is simply to make sure he's outside the trailer when the warrant service team arrives, just station a patrol unit outside the trailer park and pull him over when he leaves ("I ran your tags and the computer didn't show any insurance. Do you have proof of insurance, sir?" Actually happened to me.)

Since the justification for these no-knocks is usually "Suspect may be armed an violent," have the search team meet him in the driveway when he comes home.

Oh, and since nobody's mentioned it (indirectly, yes) this is just another illustration of how the War on (Some) Drugs is grossly destructive of our rights and should be ended forthwith.

[308Mike]

*IF* your concern is that he may be heavily armed in his house, WHY would you want to try and take him down where he MIGHT BE HEAVILY ARMED??? Sure, vehicle pursuits can be VERY dangerous, but if you've done your homework and disabled his vehicles, HOW CAN HE GET AWAY???

I'd MUCH rather deal with a suspect in a disabled vehicle in FRONT of his house that deal with him IN HIS HOUSE (where he might have access to MANY more weapons and some high-powered ones too)!!!

Even if he takes a hostage, they are more than likely to be people he knows and REALLY does NOT want to harm them.

And besides, once he's cornered, time is on the cop's side. There is NO REASON to rush in (unless the subject begins executing people), since his supplies are limited, and so is his time. The cops outside have almost ALL the advantages in any kind of hostage situation, unless the suspect is willing to start eliminating his bargaining chips (which is incredibly stupid), so there's NO REASON to rush things (other than the EGOs of the cops involved).

So he's got a drug warrant, SO WHAT????!?!!?!?!!?!! Pick him up when he's by himself and away from others. There's NO GOOD REASON to storm his house and create such a dangerous situation!!

Unfortunately, even if this department gets their ass handed to them in a lawsuit, it WILL NOT change anything until it happens to a LARGE department and for a LOT of money!!! That's the ONLY way this shit is going to stop!!! NOTHING will change until GOVERNMENT ENTITIES start seeing it hit their pocketbook, and even then, MOST of them believe: "It's only TAXPAYER MONEY" because THEY PERSONALLY don't have to suffer the consequences of their actions!!

Once you make things PERSONALLY liable to the DICKHEADS in charge, things won't change until the VOTERS insist upon it. Make them have to pay PERSONALLY, then you'll see IMMEDIATE ACTION against this kind of BULLSHIT!!! GUARANTEED!!!!

[Precision]

end qualified immunity.

Many of these issues disappear.